Seborrheic dermatitis can be a painful, unsightly, and irritating skin disorder to have. If your skin is experiencing seborrheic dermatitis flare-ups, you may be searching for a way to control them. One commonly suggested treatment is to use a topical steroid cream on your skin, but it's important that you know all the facts before trying it. This guide will explain how steroid creams can reduce your flare-ups, as well as the special considerations you should keep in mind.
The Easiest Steroid Cream To Buy
The most accessible form of steroid cream that can be used to combat seborrheic dermatitis is cortisone cream. Cortisone cream doesn't require a doctor prescription and can be purchased at nearly any drugstore, which makes it a convenient choice. In addition, it sinks into skin, so make-up and sunscreen can be applied over it.
What Steroid Cream Does
Steroids are commonly used by doctors because of their ability to combat inflammation in the body. While inflammation isn't the cause of seborrheic dermatitis, it is a side effect of the disorder. Applying steroid cream can help to calm the irritation, itchiness, and redness down, and it can help to prevent the flaky, scab-like patches from forming.
Side Effects
The benefits of steroid cream can make it sound like the holy grail of beating seborrheic dermatitis, but this is unfortunately not the case. If you're having active flare-ups, it's okay to use steroid cream on small patches of your skin. However, over time, steroid cream can potentially cause a condition called steroid atrophy, which makes your skin thinner, and it can even increase your risk of cataracts if it's used near your eyes. For these reasons, steroid creams should only be used in small quantities and as infrequently as possible.
Treatment
Unfortunately, the exact cause of seborrheic dermatitis isn't known, which can make it difficult to treat at home. Seeing a dermatologist is your best bet to control the disorder and have as few skin flare-ups as possible. Dermatologists can prescribe medications and cleansers that help to minimize inflammation and reduce the build up of yeast on the skin, which may be partially responsible for causing flare-ups.
It's not easy having a skin condition like seborrheic dermatitis, but thankfully, dermatologists can help to control its symptoms. Ask your dermatologist if steroid creams are safe for your skin in small quantities, and work with them to develop a treatment plan. Contact a dermatology clinic for more information.
